> NOTE 1:  There was a special function called "echon" that uses printf for 
  > echoing to the terminal.  It is used sporadically in the script in lieu of 
  > echo -- since both were used, I simply used echo. 

  > NOTE 3:  I use echo -n for a non carriage-return echo, which is NOT used 
  > elsewhere in the script, and as such, I do not know whether it's 
  > functionality is guaranteed. 

  This is the very reason for the presence of echon()

echo -n is a BSD extension and is not required by POSIX:

  http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/utilities/echo.html

and thus shouldn't be used...